1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sports goal having a frame that folds flat with a center brace stored in the net. The goal is lightweight but sturdy, easy to assemble and breakdown and is particularly adapted for (but not limited to) street hockey.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Street hockey is played with a plastic puck or light ball by players mounted on roller blades. It is popular because a game can be set up in a street or driveway unlike soccer or softball which require a large playing area and, in the case of soccer, a goal which is usually permanently mounted in the field. Street hockey is mainly played by kids. Most street hockey goals typically come as a kit with tubular metal pieces that are assembled into a frame having a U-shaped upright member joined to a U-shaped bottom member by diagonal side braces. A net is wrapped or threaded over the U-shaped members. Once assembled, a street hockey goal is bulky to store in a garage or the like because ordinary goals do not fold and are not easily disassembled into their component parts. Whether sat on the floor or hung from the wall, they occupy a large space and always seem to be in the way. In addition, a fully erect, ordinary street hockey goal is harder to carry than it would be if it was folded flat. Toggle links in the diagonal side braces and other mechanical linkages used to fold soccer goals are not adaptable to street hockey goals because they must be kept simple.